Just after midnight on April 17, 2022, a verbal argument between two passengers on an eastbound MetroLink train in St. Louis escalated into a fatal shooting. The victim was Manu Barge, a 31-year-old male from Olivette. The incident occurred near the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station, where Barge was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting was captured on train surveillance video, which, along with other evidence, was turned over to the St.
Louis Metropolitan Police Department to aid in their investigation.
The investigation led to the arrest of 23-year-old Quinton A. Howard of St. Louis. Howard was initially charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action for his involvement in the shooting. Witnesses reported that after the argument, as Howard was exiting the train, he pulled out a pistol and shot Barge before fleeing the scene. The firearm used in the incident was never recovered.
In July 2024, Quinton A. Howard, then 24, pleaded guilty to amended charges of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action as part of a plea agreement, avoiding a jury trial. He was subsequently sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison, receiving a 10-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter and a consecutive five-year sentence for armed criminal action. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore commented on the tragedy, stating, 'It is tragic that a brief exchange of words between two strangers on a train would end in one's death. The presence of a gun tipped the balance.'
